Key Leaders Research Articles

Access to Land, Building Materials & Finance for Rental Housing Production in Dodoma Capital City, Tanzania

This paper presents study findings concerning rental housing delivery systems in accommodating low-income urban residents in Tanzania. Generally, the study intended to establish operational and workable policy options for promoting affordable rental houses to narrow the urban housing shortage gap that has been increasing over time. The study involved 100 property developers, eighteen (18) key informants, six (6) brokers, and fifteen (15) tenants who were purposely selected for the study. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through interviews with property developers, and focus group discussions with key informants and local leaders. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 was employed in inferential and descriptive analysis. In line with this, a Chi-square technique was employed for describing the association between the variables while descriptive analysis was employed to describe the distribution of scores among the variables. The study has shown that 68% of property developers obtain land through an informal land market while the rest 32% obtain it from a formal market. Moreover, property developers have reported that savings are the dominant source of rental housing finance mechanisms in the study area which accounts for 65% of the housing finance mechanisms. Other sources are remittances (16%), pensions (8%), loans (7%), and borrowing from relatives (4%). The study has revealed that the Pearson chi-square value and significance value, confirm that, there is a significant association between affordability and the category of land market (= 65.696, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the study has evidenced that individual property developers are dominating the rental housing market in the absence of policies, regulations, standards, and plans that could take into consideration the access to rental housing for low-income urban residents. The study recommends to the central and local government that there should be an urgent strategy to establish an enabling housing policy to promote affordable rental housing as an option for low-income urban residents in Tanzania.

Researching elites in the Italian third sector: how formal position and substantial influence interact

The issue of leaders’ influence has not received much attention in civil society studies, classical leadership literature on the voluntary sector and elite research. This article explores self-representations of the different kinds of status and influence among Italian third sector leaders. It is based on 35 interviews with the leaders of major Italian third sector organisations and on an analysis of the self-representations of their status and influence and representations of their civil society colleagues. Following a critical anthropological perspective, it argues that a qualitative investigation of the different forms of influence can help to broaden scholarly understanding of the growing power stratification in the third sector and the elements that seem to be required for being considered a key leader actor or a civil society elite.

Perceptions of volunteers on the effectiveness of Kenya Medical Training College-run free medical camps in enhancing access to healthcare by vulnerable communities

In certain regions of Kenya, such as Nyahururu, Kabarnet, Kasikeu, and Mbooni, inadequate access to healthcare services contributes to avoidable deaths. Organizations like the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) address this challenge by organizing free medical camps, involving both local and international volunteer healthcare workers. This study explored the effectiveness of KMTC's free medical camps through interviews with 18 key informants, including faculty, non-faculty members, and community leaders from purposefully sampled hardship areas, namely, Nyahururu, Kabarnet, Kasikeu, and Mbooni. The study found that KMTC's free clinics offered crucial services like curative care, immunization, maternal and child health services, disease sensitization, reproductive health services, and substance abuse education. However, limitations were identified, including a shortage of medications, lack of specialized screening, follow-up care, and referral services. Resources available included community health volunteers, KMTC and hospital staff, socio-structural support, and physical infrastructure. Challenges faced by volunteers included motivation issues, inadequate facilitation, limited stakeholder involvement in planning, and perceived service comprehensiveness issues. Despite these challenges, the community acknowledged the vital role of medical camps in delivering essential services to marginalized groups. Addressing resource shortages, enhancing stakeholder engagement, improving service comprehensiveness, and boosting volunteer motivation were highlighted as crucial steps to maximize community benefits.

The birthplace cultural tightness of provincial party secretaries and innovation in their jurisdictions: Empirical evidence from 31 provinces in China

While the Chinese government has played an important role in China’s tremendous progress in innovation, and provincial party secretaries serve as the main body of regional management, less is known about how the key characteristics of these key leaders play a role in promoting innovation development. From the perspective of cultural tightness, we use patent data for 31 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2019 to explore the impact of cultural tightness of provincial party secretaries’ birthplaces in influencing innovation in their jurisdictions. Drawing on upper echelons theory and imprinting theory, we find that party secretaries born in provinces with higher cultural tightness promote innovation more in their jurisdictions, but this effect is prominent only for incremental innovation, not for radical innovation. The potential underlying mechanism is that party secretaries with high birthplace cultural tightness (BCT) tend to invest more in infrastructure construction and thus enhance incremental innovation. In addition, the positive relationship between BCT of provincial party secretaries and the innovation in their jurisdictions is weaker when the jurisdiction is more market-oriented but becomes stronger as the tenure of the provincial party secretary increases. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications of these findings are discussed. JEL Classification: M0, M2

Transfusion of blood components in pediatric age groups: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline adapted for the use in Egypt using ‘Adapted ADAPTE’

Pediatric transfusion is a complex area of medicine covering a wide age range, from neonates to young adults. Compared to adult practice, there is a relative lack of high-quality research to inform evidence-based guidelines. We aimed to adapt the pre-existing high-quality practice guidelines for the transfusion of blood components in different pediatric age groups to be available for national use by general practitioners, pediatricians, and other health care professionals. The guideline panel included 17 key leaders from different Egyptian institutions. The panel used the Adapted ADAPTE methodology. The panel prioritized the health questions and recommendations according to their importance for clinicians and patients. The procedure included searching for existing guidelines, quality appraisal, and adaptation of the recommendations to the target context of use. The guideline covered all important aspects of the indications, dosing, and administration of packed red cells, platelets, and fresh frozen plasma. It also included transfusion in special situations, e.g., chronic hemolytic anemia and aplastic anemia, management of massive blood loss, malignancies, surgery, recommendations for safe transfusion practices, and recommendations for modifications of cellular blood components. The final version of the adapted clinical practice guideline (CPG) has been made after a thorough review by an external review panel and was guided by their official recommendations and modifications. A set of implementation tools included algorithms, tables, and flow charts to aid decision-making in practice. This adapted guideline serves as a tool for safe transfusion practices in different pediatric age groups.

Effective Management of Construction Project Team: Identifying Leadership Qualities and Responsibilities

Leadership within construction project teams is a critical aspect of effective project management, yet a comprehensive understanding of essential leadership qualities and responsibilities remains elusive in academic discourse. This research addresses this gap by identifying key leadership characteristics crucial for the efficient management of construction teams. The study objectives include exploring essential leadership characteristics and filling the gap in the leadership literature specific to the construction industry. This study employed a qualitative data collection and analysis approach involving in-depth interviews with nine seasoned professionals from diverse construction-related roles and organizations. The findings reveal that emotional intelligence and relationship building are paramount for creating a collaborative and innovative work environment. Empowerment and inclusivity foster team initiative and diversity, although caution is warranted to mitigate potential negative impacts on role stress and unethical behavior. Recognition and appreciation of team contributions contribute to morale and motivation, while continuous learning encourages adaptability and growth. Precise goal setting and efficient communication are foundational for focused and responsive team dynamics, while delegation and trust-building strategies promote collaboration and cohesion. Finally, prioritizing employee well-being ensures a positive and healthy work environment conducive to sustained engagement. The study contributes valuable insights into leadership characteristics vital for constructing teams' optimal functioning and management. The multifaceted nature of construction project management is highlighted, emphasizing the need for leaders to possess a diverse skill set to navigate the complexities of team dynamics in the construction industry. The findings provide actionable knowledge for practitioners and scholars, fostering a more holistic comprehension of effective ......

21st Century Teacher Competency: Towards Conceptualization of Islamic Culture in Islamic Schools

The present work explores 21st-century teachers' competency in conceptualizing Islamic culture in the MAN 1 Islamic senior high school in Gorontalo City. This descriptive qualitative research employed a descriptive phenomenology approach. All data were generated from observation, interviews, and documentation. The data were further analyzed in four steps: condensation, coding, categorization, and theory. According to the results, 21st-century religious education teachers should be capable of designing, organizing, directing, and supervising the cultivation of the practice of religious teachings in aspects of Islamic law. This aims to embody Islamic cultures, such as dress, religious traditions, and Islamic interaction. Meanwhile, the application of 21st-century skills in critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity has not been practiced by teachers and students. Conducting further research to reveal strategies for comprehensively realizing Islamic culture from various aspects is necessary. This is especially significant in identifying aspects of 21st-century manners aligned with the profile project of Rahmatan lil alamin (a mercy to all creation) and making religious teachings a key leadership competency in madrasas. Keywords: Leadership, Competence, 21st-century Teacher, Islamic Culture

Hotspot Analysis and Frontier Exploration of Stem Cell Research in Intervertebral Disc Regeneration and Repair: A Bibliometric and Visualization Study

BackgroundStem cells have shown tremendous potential and vast prospects in the research of intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration and repair, attracting considerable attention in recent years. In this study, a bibliometric analysis and visualization techniques were employed to probe and analyze the hotspots and frontiers of stem cell research in IVD regeneration and repair, aiming to provide valuable references and insights for further investigations. MethodsThis study utilized the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-Expanded) from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database to retrieve and extract relevant literature records as research samples. Visual analysis tools such as VOSviewer 1.6.19, CiteSpace 6.2.R4, and bibliometric online analysis platforms were employed to construct scientific knowledge maps, providing a comprehensive and systematic exposition from various perspectives including collaboration networks, co-citation networks, and co-occurrence networks. ResultsA total of 1,075 relevant studies have been published in 303 journals by 4,181 authors from 1,198 institutions across 54 countries/regions. Over the past 20 years, the field of research has witnessed a significant growth in annual publications and citations. China and the United States have emerged as the primary participants and contributors, with the AO Research Institute Davos, Zhejiang University, and Tokai University being the top three leading research institutions. The most productive and highly cited author is Sakai D, who is regarded as a key leader in this research field. The journals with the highest number of publications and citations are Spine and Biomaterials, which are considered to be high-quality and authoritative core journals in this field. The current research focuses primarily on the sources and selection of stem cells, optimization of transplantation strategies, mechanisms of IVD regeneration, and the combined application of stem cells and biomaterials. However, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed, including post-transplantation stability, assessment of regenerative effects, and translation into clinical applications. Future research will concentrate on the diversity of stem cell sources, the application of novel biomaterials, personalized treatments, and the development of gene editing technologies, among other cutting-edge directions. ConclusionThis study utilized bibliometric analysis and visualization techniques to unveil the hotspots and frontiers in the research on stem cells for IVD regeneration and repair. These research findings provide essential guidance and references for further experimental design and clinical applications. However, additional experiments and clinical studies are still needed to address the challenges and difficulties faced in the field of IVD regeneration and repair, thus offering novel strategies and approaches for the treatment of IVD diseases.

Making the China Data Valley – The National Integrated Big Data Centre System and Local Governance

As a core part of the New Infrastructure Project, China officially launched the National Integrated Big Data Centre System (NIBDCS) in 2022. As part of the “West Computes Data for East” initiative, the NBDCS is a national digital governing infrastructure that includes eight National Data Hubs hosted by ten National Data Centre Clusters. This article examines the Guizhou Hub – one of the earliest established National Data Hubs and where China’s first National Big Data Pilot Zone is located. The research takes an infrastructural perspective and reveals how contingent alignments, including the central state’s initiatives, local government’s role, and corporations like Apple and Alibaba, have come to negotiate, collaborate, and compromise in sustainable arrangements, and eventually bring about Guizhou Hub. The research shows that the grand strategies envisioned and supported by the central state are not enough; localising technological infrastructures requires key local leaders with business and political networks, and mechanisms of state–commercial complexes where intimate partnerships among governmental entities, state-owned enterprises, and private corporations are established, and mutual interests are achieved. This process is conditioned by a “frame of locality” and requires scholarly attention to a local perspective of infrastructural developments.

Community-based Advocacy Communication Social Mobilization (ACSM) intervention by empowering key community leaders: Evaluation using the RE-AIM framework.

Based on the theme of World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2018-"Wanted Leaders for TB free world," various studies and country-level project have witnessed how training leaders on TB has helped enhance TB awareness in the community. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilization (ACSM) intervention strategy through key community leaders, using Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. This study was undertaken by the Department of Community Medicine, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital (SMVMCH), Puducherry, in the field practice area of Primary Health Centre (PHC), Thirubuvanai. The STOP TB, ENGAGE-TB, and National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) guidelines were used for interventions. Key community leaders (KCL) list (N = 117) was obtained from Mannadipet commune panchayat and PHC. The study was conducted in four phases: phase 1 (baseline): quantitative data: proportion of presumptive TB cases from notification register; phase 2 (intervention): training program for staff nurses, auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM), Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), and Anganwadi workers (group activity), participatory rural appraisal (PRA) activity for self-help group (SHG) leaders, and health education session for religious leaders and ex-panchayat leaders; phase 3: strengthening of ongoing activity: health education session and active case finding for TB; and phase 4: end line: outcome of the intervention, evaluated using the RE-AIM framework. As an outcome of the intervention, there was a marginal increase (21 cases) in the proportion of presumptive TB cases when comparing before (2018) and after (2019) intervention. The proportion of presumptive TB cases identified and referred by KCL was 312. A total of 77 presumptive TB cases were identified through community-based active case finding (ACF). Two sputum samples (on the spot early morning) were collected and sent for Cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification testing (CBNAAT), of which three cases were positive. This study was community led and involved leaders from diverse backgrounds, optimizing the chance of success. For sustainability, we have initiated TB support group.

The role of the Field Epidemiology Training Program in the public health emergency response: Sudan armed conflict 2023.

On April 15, 2023, the armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started in Khartoum state, Sudan. This conflict was complicated by the preexisting complicated epidemiological situation and fragile health system in Sudan. This study endeavors to illuminate the pivotal role essayed by the Sudan FETP (SFETP) in enhancing the nation's public health response, particularly amidst the tumultuous backdrop of armed conflicts that have left their indelible mark on the region. Employing a blend of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, we investigated the SFETP's contributions to the public health response during the initial 4 months of the conflict (April-July 2023). Sixty-four SFETP residents and graduates were invited to participate, and data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 44 (69%) SFETP residents and graduates were included in this study. Out of 38 SFETPs present in the states, 32 have considerably contributed to the crisis response at state and locality levels. Three-quarters of them have played key leadership, planning, and management roles. In essence, 38% (n = 12) of them have contributed to public health surveillance, particularly in data management, reports, Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWAR) establishment, and epidemic investigation. SFETPs have made special contributions to crisis response at the community level. The involved SFETPs supported WASH interventions (n = 4), and almost one-third of them strengthened risk communication and community engagement (n = 9). Despite their physical presence at the subnational level, 27% of graduates were not deployed to the crisis emergency response. Notably, throughout this time, half of the total SFETPs were formally retained during this response. The study highlighted the importance of FETP engagement and support during public health crises. SFETP residents and graduates played diverse roles in the various levels of public health emergency response to the crisis. However. Strategies to improve the deployment and retention of FETP residents are necessary to ensure their availability during crises. Overall, FETP has proven to be an asset in public health crisis management in Sudan.

A Roadmap for European Universities Policy Recommendation to Achieve HEI Sustainability: The Case of INVEST EU Alliance

The European Union (EU) has emphasized the value of higher education, research, and innovation as engines for the continued socioeconomic and cultural advancement of Europe on several occasions. The European Universities Initiative (EUI), one of the most recent policy initiatives by the European Commission (EC) aims at advancing this agenda, via transnational collaborations of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to find new strategies for fostering European scientific excellence. This effort provides an administrative answer to the goals of European policy in terms of higher education, research, and innovation. This paper analyzes the potential benefits and risks the EUI alliances might face along four dimensions: their internal coordination, their methods of resolving conflicts, the commitment of member universities, and the cultural characteristics of the alliances. It is based on interviews with individuals holding key leadership and management roles in five member universities. We provide the case of INVEST EUI alliance as a complete case study for all the governmental, educational, structural, and financial challenges faced to draw a roadmap that can be used as policy recommendation for EU.

Analysis of Regional Competitiveness of China’s Cross-Border E-Commerce

Cross-border e-commerce is a pivotal component of the digital economy, serving as a crucial gauge for regional competitiveness in digital transformation and international trade. This study employs the Groundings-Enterprises-Markets (GEM) model, factor analysis, and the entropy weight method to evaluate the regional competitiveness of cross-border e-commerce in China. Analyzing data from 2018 to 2021 across 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, the research assesses competitiveness through basic, enterprise, and market factors. Findings reveal annual improvement in China’s overall cross-border e-commerce competitiveness, yet notable regional disparities persist, with the east outpacing the west. Guangdong Province emerges as a key player and leader when the regions are classified into three tiers. Key factors influencing competitiveness include the digital economy development index, the number of cross-border e-commerce pilot zones, R&D expenditures, cross-border enterprise competitiveness, and core enterprise scale. The study concludes with policy recommendations, emphasizing digital reform, logistics efficiency enhancement, and the promotion of digital technologies.

Community perceptions and willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials: a qualitative study in Northern Ghana

Background: Several COVID-19 vaccines were developed and are being tested to find effective vaccine to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The Navrongo health research centre was engaged to conduct trials on the safety and efficacy of some of the COVID-19 vaccines to inform policy in Ghana. This study explored perceptions and willingness to participate in the COVID-19 vaccine trials that were conducted in the Kassena-Nankana districts of Northen Ghana. Methods: This study used qualitative research approach where 10 focus group discussions and 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with participants. The data were coded into themes using QSR NVivo 12 software before thematic analysis. Results: The majority of participants perceived that the COVID-19 vaccine trial was a good initiative, which had helped people to get access to the vaccines to boost their immunity against the virus. However, some participants felt that it was not appropriate for NHRC to conduct the trials because of the perceived risks associated with the vaccines. Most participants said they were ready to participate in the trials if they were invited with many of them mentioning good health and compensation as the main factors that could influence their decision. Nonetheless, a good number of them maintained that they were not ready to participate because of perceived risks resulting from receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusion: Our recommendation is that effective community engagement strategies by researchers such as collaborating with key community leaders, to actively get involved during community education prior to conducting clinical trials, could improve understanding and participation.

Exploring effective implementation pathways to become an excellent chief financial officer in public hospital: a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) from China

BackgroundHospital chief financial officer (CFO) contributes to improving health system performance. However, how to become an excellent hospital CFO has rarely been considered from a holistic perspective. This paper aims to identify competencies required by hospital CFO to fulfil the position’s responsibilities and explore effective implementation pathways to generate high performance and improve healthcare service.MethodsWe conducted 61 semi-structured interviews with individuals in key leadership positions in China’s hospitals and researchers focusing on healthcare system management to identify core competencies necessary for hospital CFO. Interviews were analysed through a multi-stage review process and modified via expert vetting using a national panel of 23 professors. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with 32 hospital CFOs from 14 provinces throughout September 2021 to May 2022. We scored the performance of 32 hospital CFOs in various aspects of competency and used the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to explore the competency configurations of excellent CFOs.ResultsWe identify seven core competencies necessary for a hospital CFO to fulfil management practices, including personal morality, resource management, strategy management, learning ability, negotiating skill, leadership skill, and financial management. The findings indicate that a single competency factor is not a necessary condition to become an excellent hospital CFO. The results of qualitative comparative analysis then make it possible to propose four configurational paths, namely, supportive, interpersonal, all-around development, and technical, to become an excellent hospital CFO and achieve effective managerial performance.ConclusionsThe responsibilities of hospital CFOs are complex and varied, hence, a better understanding of competencies required by CFO is essential to implement their responsibilities effectively. The identification in this study of the four effective implementation pathways to becoming an excellent hospital CFO enriches the literature on hospital management and provides implications for China’s hospitals and their CFOs.

How the Magic City Acceptance Academy’s School Environment Creates Conditions to Promote Community

Recent literature confirms that bullying, harassment, and violence continues in public schools against LGBTQ youth and students who are perceived as other due to status of race, class, or ability. The purpose of this study was to explore how the Magic City Acceptance Academy’s (MCAA) school environment creates conditions to promote community. MCAA is a charter school recently opened near Birmingham, Alabama. Principal findings are based on interviews with key school and community leaders, multiple school observations, and a review of key documents. The study uncovered processes and emphases used to cultivate an affirming school environment for students. Themes suggested that physical space, student supports and resources, evidence of affirmation, and specific student-oriented policies, serve as key factors that support overall student well-being in this innovative school environment. This article presents findings from an initial phase of a more comprehensive, case study analysis. We conclude that a welcoming and supportive school environment may contribute to the protective factor of school connectedness. We present implications for practice that may apply to educators as well as mental and community health professionals, among others. Recommendations for future research are also presented.

Leadership Skills and Virtual Team Performance – The Case of Lebanese Multinational Companies

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of leadership skills on virtual team performance within multinational corporations in Lebanon. Drawing upon established literature, the research examines four key leadership dimensions: motivation, coaching, appreciation, and empowerment, exploring their respective impacts on virtual team effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach: The study, conducted in Lebanon, aimed to explore the influence of leadership skills on virtual team performance through a positivist, deductive approach using a survey method and mono-quantitative methodology. Analyzing 148 individuals across various global Lebanese enterprises, the research employed descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analyses in SPSS to investigate the relationship between leadership abilities and virtual team effectiveness in the context of businesses utilizing remote collaboration due to globalization and technological advancements. Findings: The study aligns with prior research attributing positive correlations between leadership skills and enhanced team performance. Findings support the hypothesis that leadership motivation skills significantly enhance virtual team performance. Transformational leadership qualities, characterized by strong motivational capabilities, correlate positively with virtual team effectiveness. Implications: The findings underscore the pivotal role of specific leadership competencies in driving virtual team performance within multinational corporate structures. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of how leadership motivational skills can be leveraged to optimize virtual team dynamics, ultimately improving organizational outcomes in diverse, multinational contexts.

Task-Related Leadership Competencies and Physical Work Environment as Predictors of Organizational Effectiveness in The Cameroon Baptist Convention Primary Schools

Aim: The research addresses two primary objectives: examining the impact of headteachers' task-related leadership competencies (TR_competencies) and work environment (WE_index) on organizational effectiveness in terms of stakeholder involvement (SI_OE).
 Methods: This study employs ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis to scrutinize the predictive efficacy of leadership competence and conditions of service on organizational effectiveness in Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) primary schools.
 Results: Statistically significant relationships are identified. Regression coefficients underscore the robustness of CBC headteachers' task-related leadership competencies, encompassing accountability, creativity, diversity promotion, culture shaping, and strategic planning. Challenges in change management highlight areas necessitating targeted professional development. A negative coefficient for the work environment implies an inverse relationship with organizational effectiveness in terms of stakeholder involvement. The F-statistic tests the overall model significance, yielding p-values of 0.0001 and 0.0000 for Models 1 and 2, respectively.
 Conclusion: These results prompt rejection of the null hypothesis, confirming the overall model significance. Furthermore, the coefficients for TR_competencies and WE_index are statistically significant at the 0.01 level, affirming their individual impact.
 Recommendations: This study recommends that the CBC Education Department should engage comprehensive strategy to bring about organisational effectiveness in the primary schools. That strategy should involve targeted professional development for headteachers on key leadership competencies, simultaneous improvements in the physical work environment, and stronger stakeholder engagement strategies. Policymakers are equally encouraged to translate these findings into actionable policies. This should organisational effectiveness in the CBC Primary schools.

The role of commercialization of high technologies in scientific and production cooperation

The article reveals the role and importance of types of high-tech products, taking into account international practice, domestic official statistics and classification of goods of foreign economic activity. It is established that in some cases innovative and high-tech products are identified. It is revealed that currently the most high-tech is the production of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, the production of computers, electronic and optical products; production of various air and space aircraft. The key regional leaders in the production of high-tech products in the world by region are considered. Based on the results of the consideration of the content of the concepts “innovation” and “technology”, “commercialization of innovations” and “commercialization of high-tech products”, the author’s vision of interpretations is proposed, with the justification that innovativeness actually acts as an additional feature of high-tech products. A study of the types of commercialization of high-tech products was conducted, according to the results of which the author’s classification was proposed according to the content, level of efficiency, number of subjects of commercialization, geographical coverage of subjects of commercialization and methods of financing.

From Fragmentation to Integration: Developing a Coherent Insurance Regulatory Framework for AfCFTA

This study delivers a comprehensive analysis of insurance regulatory harmonization by examining the European Union’s Solvency II framework alongside the regional models of CIMA, EAC, and SADC. Employing a rigorous comparative case study approach, this research dissects the institutional frameworks, regulatory mechanisms, and policy strategies of these models to extract actionable insights for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Data were meticulously gathered from policy documents, academic literature, and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including regulators and industry leaders. The analysis reveals that AfCFTA stands to gain significantly from a regulatory framework that marries central oversight with local adaptability, akin to the EU model but nuanced for the African context. The study underscores the strategic value of integrating digital tools and fortifying regional bodies to enhance cross-border insurance activities. This research provides a critical foundation for developing a robust and cohesive regulatory framework under AfCFTA, addressing the complexities of regulatory fragmentation and advancing the creation of a resilient and integrated African insurance market